Bloodline‘s “Part 10” opens with John’s voice-over affirming two facts: he is almost at the end of his story while his fate is in someone’s (whoever he is actually talking to) hands, and he claims that he is not aware of Danny’s whereabouts but hopes he is fine. His words, prudent, measured, and compelling, accompany the raw images of the sheriff carrying his brother’s lifeless body under the rain. At this point, it is clear that John is lying. A robust portion of Bloodline hinges on the secrets the Rayburns guard; however, by the show’s tenth episode, it becomes more pressing to wonder who John is actually addressing.
While we still don’t know who Wonder Boy Rayburn is talking to in the future, he is questioning Eric in the present day. The problem that John faces is that O’Bannon is a crook, yet a loyal man. He does not incriminate himself or Danny in any illicit activities and, as a result, is let go. Having barely made it out of the police station with no charges pressed, Eric immediately tells Danny that John is on to them. For the first time since Bloodline began, O’Bannon seems to experience genuine concern.
Although Eric is free, the police did find gasoline containers in his truck, which leads Marco and John to look into that lead. They go through surveillance videos and are able to connect Danny’s pal to the stolen gasoline used to burn the human cargo where Jane Doe and company perished. With Rafi and Eric identified and linked to Wayne, the DEA is now looking into an identified male accomplice. The audience knows that happens to be Danny, and John senses it too.
Later on, Meg has lunch with her fiancee and for the first time, she opens up to him. She tells Marco that she is overwhelmed by her family and seems particularly distraught by having learned what went on after Sarah passed. She also uses that argument as a gateway to ask the man she is supposed to marry if he would consider moving to New York. Marco is blindsided by her question, and when Meg confesses that she had an offer she had been considering for some time, he appears hurt. Marco’s detective skills seem to be kicking in all at once, and as he continues to ask why Meg didn’t tell him about the possible relocation, she comes clean about her affair. Speechless and broken-hearted, Marco foots the bill and exits the restaurant.
The scene between Marco and Meg was necessary and fitting. There were great elements comprised in the interaction between the two characters. To begin with, though it was good to see Meg being vulnerable around her partner, the pair looked more like good friends than a couple who is planning a wedding. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that Marco is just a man when it comes to her, he is not a detective, which humanizes the character while it gives the younger Rayburn some sort of Kryptonite quality.
Back to the Jane Doe case. When John hears a phone conversation that the DEA recorded between Rafi and the unknown male associate, he instantly recognizes that Danny is the accomplice that remains unidentified. Instead of ratting out his own flesh and blood, John only clarifies that the voice does not belong to Eric.
While John works on the case, Danny accompanies Chelsea to see her mother, who for some reason has not been in touch with Eric. She shares a few words with Danny, all of which are poignant. Mama O’Bannon does not camouflage her disdain towards Sally and, especially, Robert Rayburn, who she claims shouldn’t have been portrayed as a hero in his memorial and the local paper. Finally, it seems that someone has been able to see the late patriarch’s true colors. Danny empathizes with Chelsea’s mom on some level. That said, I still sense there has always been a war among the families and that this conflict might be a major arc in Bloodline Season 2. Hopefully, I am reading these hints correctly, and my theories are not in “wishful thinking” territory.
Proving that John is not the only Rayburn capable of smelling trouble, Meg intercepts Carlos right before an AA meeting. She asks him straightforward questions regarding the key witness in his case and also inquires about Danny’s involvement in getting the man not to testify. She successfully shows Carlos that she knows he’s gotten himself into something. The troubled recovering alcoholic is notoriously nervous. Now he has two Rayburns on his back.
After Diana and John tell their children that they are not to spend any time with Uncle Danny, Sally storms into their house demanding an explanation. She feels like the members of the family are not giving her oldest son a break and fails to understand why. Although John attempts to warn his mother that trouble is associated with his brother, he is vague and unconvincing, which cements Mama Ray’s rage. She truly believes Danny is mending his life and no one is cutting him any slack. Before she leaves, she asks John not to make her choose sides and clearly states that she will. In many ways, this is the scene the audience has been waiting for: Sally is finally putting up a fight, one she will obviously lose, but a noble one. Her efforts to protect and help Danny up until this point have translated as a mixture of pity, guilt, and enabling. For the first time, Sally breaks, and thus breaks out as the torn mother she is, and John is too weak to slap her with the cruel truth.
John makes an effort to come clean with his mother and support his and Diana’s choice to protect their kids from Danny, but once again, he is stopped in his tracks when Sally confesses that her guilt and over-protectiveness towards Danny is rooted in the past. She tells her son that she was the one who asked Danny to take Sarah away on that fateful day when the girl died. Obviously, she blames herself for the way Danny was scarred after his sister tragically died.
Out of options, John finally opts to tackle the issue by speaking to Danny. He informs him that he will have to face the justice system rather soon and shows him the pictures of the dead girls. The sheriff makes the mistake of giving away too much intel and makes Danny aware of how intensely the DEA is circling Wayne. John also suggests his brother to come forward with what he knows and cut a deal. Danny, in turn, keeps his cards close to his chest while sporting his best poker face.
Later on, Danny meets with Rafi and inquires about Wayne’s other endeavors, aka, the human trafficking business. Rafi responds with the truth. The most interesting part about the interaction is that Danny does not seem to be repulsed by the illegal activities that cost lives, while Rafi is hunted because he torched the boat.
In the meantime, the Rayburn women gather, and Meg tells her mother that she has decided not to put Danny back in Robert’s will. Though Sally makes a plea on her son’s behalf, Meg sets her foot down and protects everyone’s assets, even when that action incredibly disappoints her mother. Taking into consideration how Meg has always gone out of her way to be the perfect daughter, the character has evolved considerably. It doesn’t stop there, though, as Meg sees Carlos at the hotel and puts two and two together.
Back to the drugs/Jane Doe case, the DEA tails Rafi after his latest pickup, while Danny pays a visit to John. The sheriff asks his brother to come clean with everything he knows, and Danny seems to agree with that. As a result, he begins to tell John how he got involved with Wayne just as agents surround Rafi’s car, only to find out that the man is not there. It was just a decoy. While John is informed that they have been played, Rafi helps Wayne escape via a boat. That is the last thing Rafi does in his life, which is ended by another one of Wayne’s associates.
John confronts Danny, who acts cocky and feels out of the woods. The oldest Rayburn also informs his brother that if he faces charges, the whole family would go down with him. Danny is clearly not making an empty threat.
“Part 10” ends with Meg snooping around the shed behind the inn, where Wayne’s drugs are stored. Hurricane Danny has already started his path of destruction.
Bloodline‘s tenth episode was action-packed and devoted quite a lot of time to the investigation; however, Bloodline‘s focus on family nicely balanced out the procedural elements. Every single storyline “Part 10” developed was solid and made progress, which provided the audience with a good dose of payoff.
Highlights:
– Chelsea’s refusal of Danny’s money to take care of her mother was priceless. It is very refreshing to see the character stand her ground and get away from trouble.
– Kevin, who for the most part, was not a major player in the episode, is having nightmares and getting increasingly paranoid about his attack, which is more than a bad omen. Taking into account that in previous episodes he has been shown doing cocaine in the future, his present condition becomes utterly relevant.
[Photo via Netflix]
